Section 1.

All legislative powers herein granted except those pertaining to the Honor Code shall be vested in a Student Senate.

Section 2. Composition of the Student Senate

The Student Senate shall be composed of three senators from each of the four classes.

When vacancies occur in the representation of the Student Senate, the executive authority within it shall provide for re-elections to fill such vacancies.

The executive authority of the Student Senate shall be vested in the hands of a chairman, elected by the Student Senate from within its membership, the election to take place at the first meeting of the Senate over which the President of Student Government shall preside.

The Student Senate shall have a recording secretary elected from within its membership. The secretary shall record the proceedings of the Student Senate and shall deposit the notes in the library at the end of the year.

The Student Senate may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and with the concurrence of three-fourths, expel a member.

Section 3. Powers of the Student Senate

To grant or annul charters of all campus clubs and organizations except social fraternities, the Interfraternity Council, the Inter-Religious Council, and honorary fraternities according to the rules passed by the Student Senate.

To adopt legislation concerning vandalism and disorderly conduct consistent with college policies and regulations.

To provide for committees deemed necessary to execute its business, to promote communications within the student body, and to strengthen student-faculty-administration relations.

To review the budget submitted to it by the Student Finance Board and recommend changes to the Student Finance Board both at the beginning of the year and during the year.

To investigate matters affecting the welfare of the student body and to recommend to college or student personnel appropriate actions intended to foster the best interests of the student body and the College.

To initiate impeachment proceedings against any member of Student Government for neglect of duty or for bringing discredit upon Student Government or the College. It shall also have the obligation to bring about impeachment proceedings in these situations.

To require that the President of Student Government call a meeting of the student body if a majority of the Student Senate votes to call a meeting of the student body.

Section 4.

No student shall be denied the right to appear before the Student Senate.

Section 5.

All regular meetings of the Student Senate shall be open to members of the student body.

Section 6.

The Student Senate shall have monthly meetings and shall meet whenever called by the Chairman of the Student Senate or the President of Student Government.

Section 7. Senate Judiciary Committee

The membership of the Senate Judiciary Committee shall consist of the Chairman of the Student Senate, who shall serve as Chairman of the Committee, the Secretary-Treasurer of the Student Body, and another member of the Student Senate appointed by the Chairman. When an infraction by a club occurs, the Senate Judiciary Committee has the power to investigate the matter, and levy a punishment deemed appropriate by the Committee to fit the infraction, bearing in mind that the punishment should attempt to reform the problems within the organization. Two alternate members shall be chosen respectively from rules governing student life the Student Senate and the Student Finance Board.

The Senate Judiciary Appeals Committee will consist of the entire Student Senate and the Assistant Dean responsible for Clubs and Organizations. The Assistant Dean shall not have a vote during appeal proceedings. The grounds for appealing a decision will be as follows: a violation of due process, a punishment that is too harsh, and/or a lack of sufficient evidence to reach a fair judgment.

The Senate Judiciary Committee, by the authority of the Board of Trustees, shall have jurisdiction over matters concerning infractions by clubs including clubs and organizations with themed or campus housing. At no other time can a punishment be levied on a club or organization with or without themed or campus housing unless tried and found guilty by the Senate Judiciary Committee. The jurisdiction of the Senate Judiciary Committee excludes fraternities that are members of The Interfraternity Council.

The Senate Judiciary Committee and The Senate Judiciary Appeals Committee shall operate under the regulations of The Standing Rules of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Standing Rules of the Senate Judiciary Committee

Composition

In accordance with Article 3.7 of the Hampden-Sydney College Student Government Constitution, meetings of the Senate Judiciary Committee shall be conducted by these Standing Rules.

Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee shall each have one vote. The Senate Judiciary Committee may not conduct business or regular meetings unless all members, as specified in Article 3.7.1 of the Hampden-Sydney College Student Government Constitution, are present.

If a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee refuses to attend a scheduled meeting called by the Chairman of Student Senate, he shall face grounds for impeachment. If the Chairman of the Student Senate refuses to call a meeting of the Senate Judiciary Committee after the request of the other two seated members, he shall face grounds for impeachment.

Officers

The Secretary-Treasurer shall act as Secretary of all Senate Judiciary Committee proceedings.

The Chairman of the Student Senate shall open, suspend and close proceedings, direct the work of the Senate Judiciary Committee, see that the Rules are observed, call upon the speakers, make known the results of voting and declare the sessions closed. The Chairman’s decisions on these matters shall be final and shall be accepted without discussion. The Chairman of the Student Senate does not reserve the right to forgo any motion to vote called by another member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Agenda

The agenda of the Senate Judiciary Committee shall be communicated by the Secretary-Treasurer to all persons present at proceedings.

Proceedings

Clubs and/or organizations which are investigated by the Senate Judiciary Committee are allowed a maximum of three representatives and the club advisor present at Senate Judiciary Committee proceedings.

Each representative of a club or organization present at Student Judiciary Meeting must be an active member within the club or organization in question.

Representatives of clubs and organizations or experts may be invited as observers by any member of the Senate Judiciary Committee to observe and participate in the investigation of the clubs and organizations.

Observers not specified above may only speak with the permission of the Chairman of the Student Senate. Any observer who causes disruption to the proceeding may be asked to leave.

As stated within Article 3.7 of the Hampden-Sydney College Student Government Constitution, the Senate Judiciary Committee may impose any range of punishments on a club or organization not limited to shutdown of a club, social closing of themed or campus housing, or suspension of funds allocated to it by the Student Finance Board.

Members of the Student Judiciary Committee must agree on a punishment, if deemed necessary, by the means of a two-thirds vote of its membership.

Amendment

The Senate Judiciary Committee shall adopt and amend the Standing Rules by unanimous consent of all members of The Committee.

These standing rules have been adopted on February 5, in the Year of our Lord, 2012 upon signature of the three current members of the Senate Judiciary Committee.